All in the Family
by Leva
Summary: Elisa's cousin Nikki Taylor is in town; she's going to be a star if Elisa doesn't kill her first. Fairly clean, just some innuendo.


"All in the Family"   
by Leva Mevis   
leva@primenet.com   
  
Written: October 1996  
  
Author's Notes: This is one of my favorite stories -- older, but still  
relevant. It was certainly one of the most fun to write; everybody has to  
have at least one friend or relative like Nikki ... And no, I didn't  
plan to give her the same last name as Christine Morgan's "Aunt Agnes"  
-- in fact, both Christine's "Family Reunion" and my "All in the Family"  
were posted within days of each other on the same mailing list. But  
we ran with the coincidence in later stories. Christine's mentioned Nikki in a  
number of her stories, and I've had a lot of fun borrowing Aunt Agnes  
for mine. Great minds think alike, I guess.   
  
* * * * *   
  
"My lights are on." Elisa said, stiffening in Goliath's grasp.   
  
"Did you perhaps leave them on?"   
  
"No, I'm sure I turned them off." Elisa, in Goliath's arms, stared   
down at her apartment, and fingered her gun nervously. Derek   
could have stopped by, or Matt, or the trio ...   
  
But Derek would have turned the lights off, Matt was out of town,   
and they'd just left the trio at the castle. Elisa suffered a sudden   
mental image of Demona breaking into her apartment, and fumbling   
for the lights in the dark ... maybe stepping on Cagney ...   
  
Goliath landed on the roof, and noiselessly set her down. Elisa, gun   
drawn, flattened herself by the window. She reached out and   
pushed the window open with her fingertip; it was never latched.   
  
The pair exchanged looks, then both spun around to stare into the   
apartment.   
  
The lights were on but no one was home.   
  
Elisa relaxed a little, then snorted, "I feel like the mama bear."   
  
"What?"   
  
"Someone's been eating my porridge." Elisa pointed to a dirty dish   
on the table, where no dirty dish had been before.   
  
"I'm certain Broadway has not been by here ..."   
  
"Broadway cleans up after himself." Elisa stepped through the   
window; Goliath shadowed her.   
  
"Elisa? That you?" A voice called.   
  
Elisa wordlessly mouthed an obscenity, and frantically shoved   
Goliath towards the window.   
  
"What? Who?" Goliath was slow on the uptake.   
  
"Elisa! You brought a guy home! Hold on a second, I want to meet   
him!"   
  
Elisa closed her eyes. She would really have preferred Demona. If   
she'd known ... Goldilocks ... was in her apartment, she'd have   
camped out at Castle Wyvern until she went elsewhere. But it was   
too late; the intruder stepped out of the bathroom. "Hi, cuz.   
Thought I'd drop by.... eeeeeeeeeeeee!"   
  
Nikki Taylor, Elisa's cousin, squealed and fainted.   
  
Elisa rolled her eyes skyward. She really, really, really would have   
preferred Demona. "Goliath," Elisa indicated the prone cousin,   
"Meet Nikki, she's ... family."   
  
* * * * *   
  
It took Nikki about ten minutes to come around, which was long   
enough for Elisa to convince Goliath that complete introductions   
would have to wait, and that yes, she could handle Nikki alone. As   
far as Elisa was concerned, introductions could wait a very long   
time. And she was probably lying about being able to handle Nikki   
alone.   
  
"... monsters!" Nikki sat up on the couch with a gasp.   
  
"Nikki, you're seeing things." Elisa informed her. "And you   
embarrassed me."   
  
"... oh. But I saw ... it was big, it was blue, it had wings ... and fangs   
... and it was right behind you!"   
  
"The only person behind me was my friend."   
  
"... oh." Nikki paused, swung her legs over the edge of the couch,   
and pouted, "I guess I made a fool of myself."   
  
Elisa started to agree, then sighed. "Goliath has that effect on   
people." Right. The first time she'd met Goliath, she'd fallen off   
Castle Wyvern.   
  
" I could have sworn ... oh, I feel so stupid!" Nikki's lower lip was   
quivering. She twisted her necklace with a finger, playing with the   
large gemstone pendant. "But I'm sure I saw ..."   
  
Elisa's lips quirked upwards. "Goliath's an eight foot tall gargoyle   
who turns to stone by day."   
  
"Get real." Nikki snorted. "I must have imagined it ... where is he?"   
  
"He left."   
  
"Oh." Nikki's grinned, "Elisa, you have a boyfriend! That's   
wonderful! Why haven't you told anyone?"   
  
"Mom and Dad have met him, and Beth and Derek. And he's not   
my boyfriend!" Elisa considered that denial for a moment. "Well ..."   
  
"You just started seeing him, hey? But he's just right and ... oh,   
believe me, I know the feeling. Tell me more, girl!"   
  
"Actually, I've known Goliath for a long time." Elisa laughed.   
"Almost three years. We've been through a lot together ... recently,   
he ... has been more than a friend."   
  
"Wow. Sounds like it's really serious. When can I meet him?"   
  
Elisa avoided the question, "How long are you going to be in town?"   
  
Nikki laced her hands behind her head. "I, girl, have a job here."   
  
Elisa fought an urge to scream. "What? Doing what?"   
  
"I'm going to be a stahhh." Nikki stood up, and struck a glamorous   
pose.   
  
Elisa snorted. "Yeah? A star?"   
  
"Don't look so skeptical, cuz. I'm going to play Titania in a made-   
for-TV production of a _Midsummer Night's Dream_..."   
  
Elisa choked. Laughed. Howled.   
  
"What!" Nikki demanded, outraged.   
  
Elisa looked again at her cousin. And burst out laughing for a   
second time.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Let's just ... let's just say ... you aren't how I picture Titania ..."   
  
Nikki's eyes widened. "What? Why? Because I'm black?" She   
looked furious.   
  
Elisa threw her hands up. "That's not what I meant, Nikki, and you   
should know that." She fought down irrational anger at Nikki's   
accusation.   
  
"What did you mean?"   
  
Elisa sighed. "Let's just say the world's a weird place, and   
Shakespeare knew it."   
  
"Now you're talking in riddles." Nikki sniffed.   
  
"Maybe." Elisa threw her hands up. "Probably. What are you doing   
here?"   
  
Nikki sighed, "Well, I was hoping you'd let me crash on your floor,   
until I they can get me a trailer. We are family ..."   
  
The window slid open, causing both girls to whirl around.   
  
Nikki screamed, "I knew it! I knew I saw a monster! It's back!" She   
retreated into the kitchen, where she snatched a steak knife out of   
the sink, and waved in menacingly at the large panther who had   
dropped through the window.   
  
Derek snorted, "Chill out, Nikki."   
  
Nikki screamed again.   
  
"Nikki! Give me that before you hurt yourself!" Elisa efficiently   
grabbed Nikki's wrist, twisted her arm, and relieved her of the knife.   
  
Nikki gaped at Elisa. "It's a monster!"   
  
"No, it's just Derek." Elisa jerked a thumb at her brother. "Ever   
watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?"   
  
"Watch what?"   
  
No, Nikki had never watched a cartoon in her life. Nikki was too   
cool for cartoons. Elisa sighed, "He had a run-in with a mad   
scientist."   
  
"I don't believe you."   
  
Derek narrowed his golden eyes for a long moment, then folded his   
arms. "Hey Elisa, I think this is better than the time we taught her to   
snipe-hunt."   
  
"Yeah. She believes in snipes, but not in human mutants."   
  
"That wasn't funny!" Nikki protested. Then she looked from Derek   
to Elisa and back again. "And this isn't funny, either."   
  
"No, but your expression is priceless." Derek informed her. He   
lounged against the counter, arms crossed, smiling faintly.   
  
"Derek, you idiot!" Nikki recovered her dignity and glared at him. "I   
could have killed you!"   
  
Elisa and Derek both looked at the knife in Elisa's hand. They burst   
out laughing. Elisa tossed the knife back into the sink. "With that   
thing? You've got to be kidding."   
  
"Would be ironic. Death by Nikki. After everything else we've been   
through." Derek snorted. "So, Nikki, what are you doing here in   
town?"   
  
"I have a job ..." Nikki glared at Elisa.   
  
Derek interjected, "... that's news."   
  
"... I'm playing Queen Titania. In a television adaption of _A   
Midsummer..."   
  
Derek looked at her, looked at Elisa, looked back at Nikki. "Tell me   
she's joking."   
  
Elisa bit her lip, shook her head, and said, "Apparently not.   
Congratulations are due, I guess. I know you've wanted to be an   
actor for a long time, Nikki ... congratulations."   
  
Derek scratched his head. "I guess it's all in the family."   
  
"What's all in the family? Why do I have the feeling you two ..."   
She flicked a glance at Derek, who was still a seven foot tall black   
panther, but sounded very much like her cousin, "... are not telling   
me the whole story?" She glanced again at Derek, uncertainty in her   
eyes.   
  
"Probably because we aren't. So what's new in that?" Derek reached   
out and ruffled her carefully arranged hair. She ducked, flinching   
away from his claws. Derek wiped his hand on his leg, and glanced   
at Elisa, who rolled her eyes.   
  
"Sometimes," Nikki sniffed, "I regret I'm related to you two."   
  
* * * * *   
  
Nikki had rehearsals the next night, which was fine with Elisa -- a   
day of Nikki Taylor was enough for anyone, without throwing a   
night into it, as well.   
  
"So." Goliath stood on Elisa's roof, "You do not sound fond of your   
cousin."   
  
"Oh, Nikki's okay, in small doses. But ..." Elisa sighed. "She's ...   
when we were little, it was always Nikki who had the cool friends,   
the cool clothes, the cool hair; I ... it's complicated."   
  
"You were jealous."   
  
"God forbid." Elisa snorted.   
  
Goliath gave her long look.   
  
Elisa sighed; Goliath knew her so well that it was impossible to lie to   
him. "Okay, well a little. But I can't *imagine* being like Nikki, nor   
would I want to. Most of her world ... is fake." She struggled to   
explain to Goliath, not sure he would understand. "But ... when I   
was a kid, we went to the same high school."   
  
Goliath waited, quietly, for her to explain.   
  
"... Nikki ... next to her, I felt like a mouse. Sometimes she did   
things to put me down, to make sure I *knew* I wasn't as pretty or   
as popular as she is. You know, kid stuff. Not speaking to me,   
telling me I embarrassed her in front of her friends, putting me   
down in public -- and it made me *so* mad sometimes. Even when   
I knew it was just Nikki being Nikki." Elisa sounded miserable.   
"She's grown up ... somewhat, but sometimes ... well, I still feel like   
that mousy thirteen year old."   
  
Goliath reached out, stroked her hair back from her face. "Elisa..."   
  
"Yeah, I know, it's stupid." She spun away from him. "Kid stuff. I'm   
closer to thirty than thirteen. It shouldn't bother me now!"   
  
Goliath's arms encircled her, he pulled her into a hug, tucked her   
head under his jaw and settled his wings around her, "Elisa ... you   
will always be special in my eyes."   
  
"Yeah." She sniffed. "I know. Thanks."   
  
He stroked her hair, "You are someone special."   
  
Elisa sighed. "Yeah ... I've mostly forgiven Nikki." She stepped out   
of his grasp, and summoned a return of her reserve. She hadn't   
meant to dump on Goliath ... or reveal so much ...   
  
"Will you introduce her to us?"   
  
Relieved for a slight change in subject, Elisa laughed."Oh, sure, why   
not?" She threw her hands in the air. "And next I'll introduce her to   
Anastasia and tell her to take notes!"   
  
"She is family, Elisa."   
  
"She'd probably sell the story to the Enquirer."   
  
Goliath chuckled, "We are already on the front page of the News."   
  
"WHAT?"   
  
Goliath sobered, "It is true. They made us sound like monsters, and   
most of what they said was not true. I can not comprehend how ...   
anyone can find profit in telling lies about another."   
  
"Nobody believes those things."   
  
"Yet people purchase them."   
  
Elisa sighed and shook her head. "Honestly, Goliath, I'm not sure   
that I can trust Nikki with our secret. She ... wouldn't deliberately   
harm you guys, I don't think, but unintentionally ... she's a gossip.   
Can't keep a secret for anything."   
  
"There is not much of a secret left to keep."   
  
Elisa nodded. "I tell you what -- she invited me by the set. When   
they let her go, I'll bring her by the castle."   
  
* * * * *   
  
"My Oberon ... my Oberon ... shoot." Nikki shook her head in   
frustration. "My Oberon, what visions have I seen! Methought I was   
enamored of an ass."   
  
Oberon, a tall young man who looked more like a Calvin Klein   
model than the smurf-colored Lord of the Third Race, responded,   
"There lies your love!"   
  
Nikki pouted, "How came these things to pass? O, how mine eyes   
do loathe his visage now ..." She snorted, and ad-libbed, "And I   
really ought to divorce you, *you're* the ass!"   
  
Elisa, watching, choked. Nikki looked up, waved, and then returned   
to rehearsing.   
  
Oberon ignored the interruption, except for a carefully theatrical   
rolling of his eyes, "Silence awhile, Robin, take off this head ..."   
  
Elisa realised Nikki wasn't half bad, but Oberon was rather   
overplaying his part. She grinned; Oberon always overplayed his   
part.   
  
"That's enough for the night." The director shooed them off the   
stage. He slapped Nikki on the rump with a script as she walked   
past. She uttered a shrill squeal and threatened him playfully with an   
upraised hand.   
  
"Was I good or what?" Nikki bounced up to Elisa.   
  
"Err ..."   
  
The director joined them. "You were fabulous, dear. I was certain   
that you were perfect for this role, and now I'm sure you are."   
  
"Get out of here!" Nikki punched him in the arm, "Elisa, this is   
Antony, my boyfriend. He's the director."   
  
Elisa's eyebrows rose into her hair. Well, that explained how ... why   
was she not suprised? "You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend ..."   
  
Nikki shrugged and sniffed. "You didn't tell me about Goliath."   
  
She had a point. "Well, if you want to meet Goliath, I'll introduce   
you."   
  
"Oh, okay. When?"   
  
"Right now, if you want ..."   
  
"Oh." Nikki frowned prettily. "I've got plans for the night. Maybe   
later, cuz."   
  
"This is your cousin, darling?" Antony reached out, and played with   
an end of Elisa's hair.   
  
Elisa stiffened, then nearly slapped him when he grabbed her jaw,   
and swivelled her head back and forth. "Hey!" She retreated several   
steps.   
  
"You never told me you had such a beautiful cousin. I might be able   
to find her a part."   
  
"No thanks, I have a job." Elisa snorted.   
  
"Aww, don't bother, Antony. Elisa has the acting ability of a rock.   
She's a good cop ... but an actor? Nah. She's a stick in the mud."   
Nikki clicked her tongue. "I remember when she tried out for a play   
in ..."   
  
"Nikki, I'm a cop. I work graveyard, about ten hours a day, more   
than five days a week. I don't have time." Elisa said, firmly.   
  
"You're a cop?" Antony suddenly sounded interested in her, rather   
than playing the part of a playboy. His tone was several degrees less   
insinuating, as well. "Really ... you know, we've been having trouble   
around the set."   
  
Elisa closed her eyes, swallowed her irritation, and said, "What kind   
of trouble?"   
  
* * * * *   
  
"So on Saturday, one of the hands was on the stage and a   
screwdriver fell from the rafters. Missed him by about two feet."   
Antony indicated a gouge in the floor. "I figured someone was   
careless, y'know? Left a screwdriver up there ... and it just fell." He   
shook his head, "And then the next night, I was climbing a ladder up   
to the catwalks, and it came down."   
  
"... came down?"   
  
"Yeah." Antony winced. "You know, crash. Someone unbolted the   
supports. It came down ... hard." He showed her a bruise on his   
knee. He'd dropped the playboy act totally.   
  
"Sabotage?" Elisa was taking notes on a tablet of paper, and   
following him around the set. She'd file an official report later, and   
hopefully, another detective would be put on the case. She'd had   
enough of Nikki. And she hadn't gotten as far as she had as a *cop*   
without conciderable acting talent!   
  
Elisa shook her head, and buried her anger. This was not the place   
for it.   
  
"I figured age, metal fatigue, brought the ladder down ... I don't   
know what I figured. You hear about things, but I never expected to   
see it on my stage!" He sounded outraged. "And then Monday,   
there was a fire in my office ..."   
  
"Did you report that?"   
  
"No, it was just a trash can fire. I thought maybe one of the janitors   
was smoking and ..." He shrugged. "But taken all together, I'm   
starting to get worried.   
  
"Do you have any enemies?"   
  
"Besides the critics?" He laughed. "No."   
  
"Eeeeeeeeeeee!"   
  
Only Nicki could hit that pitch when she screamed. Elisa spun on   
one heel, drew her gun, and bolted towards the noise.   
  
"SLITHER IS LOOSE!"   
  
Elisa whipped around a corner and aimed her gun into a dressing   
room.   
  
Four young women threw their hands over their heads. Nicki   
screamed again, "EEEEEEE!"   
  
"What?" Elisa demanded, seeing no threat.   
  
"Slither!" Nicki pointed.   
  
All five young women were huddled in one corner of the dressing   
room. A medium-sized python wound out from beneath a table and   
rippled across the floor.   
  
Elisa snorted. "It's a snake."   
  
"It's a bloody big snake." One of the other girls observed. Antony,   
behind Elisa, laughed.   
  
Elisa tried to remember if she'd encountered a big snake during her   
Avalon adventures ... well, there had been the laser-gun-serpent-   
thingies in Nokkar's spacecraft. If she could fall in love with a   
gargoyle, she could certainly handle a snake. She holstered her gun,   
bent over, and firmly grabbed the python behind the head.   
  
"Eee!"   
  
"Oh, shut up, Nikki." Elisa held the snake at arm's length.   
  
"Oh, there she is!" A voice said.   
  
Elisa turned around, and raised an eyebrow. The snake wrapped   
around her arm. "She?"   
  
"Slither, darling, are you okay?" The young woman relieved Elisa of   
the snake; she wrapped it around her neck and cooed over it.   
  
"That thing is yours?"   
  
The woman kissed the snake on the nose. "She sure is. Someone   
left her cage open. She must have been terrified." The woman   
flounced out.   
  
"Who was that?"   
  
"Oberon's wife." Nikki clicked her tongue. "She's weird. Into all   
kinds of New Age garbage."   
  
Oberon? Oh. Elisa suffered mental whiplash. Oberon-the-actor's   
wife. She still hadn't gotten the guy's name.   
  
"Well," Elisa turned to Antony, "If that's all, then I need to run."   
  
Antony was talking into his celphone. He glanced up, then said to   
the phone, "Hold on a sec." He addressed Nicki, "Something's come   
up -- I've got to put tonight off, honey. Maybe tomorrow."   
  
"But Antony ... you promised!" Nikki wailed.   
  
"I'll take you out somewhere really nice tomorrow. Okay?"   
  
"But I was planning ... I can't believe you're doing this to me!"   
  
"Your cousin wanted to do something with you, didn't she?" Antony   
returned to his phone conversation, and walked out of the room.   
  
Nikki turned to Elisa. "Well. I guess I'm stuck with you. You wanted   
to introduce me to your little boyfriend?"   
  
Elisa sighed. "Err ... maybe that's not such a good idea."   
  
"You said ..."   
  
"Yeah, yeah. C'mon. I need to talk to you first, before you meet   
him."   
  
* * * * *   
  
Nikki looked way up at Castle Wyvern from the sidewalk. It was   
raining hard, and the raindrops splashed on her makeup. With a   
curse, she ran for the lobby door, where she caught up with Elisa.   
"You do realise David Xanatos is married."   
  
"I'm not seeing David Xanatos." Elisa said, firmly. "God forbid."   
  
"But then why did you make me promise not to tell anyone about   
your boyfriend?" Nikki pouted prettily. "I don't understand. Who   
else lives in Castle Wyvern besides Xanatos -- I know he does; the   
story was all over the society papers. He and that starlet ..."   
  
"Fox. Yes." Elisa waited impatiently for the elevator. "Hi Vinnie."   
She waved at the security guard as he wandered by on his rounds.   
  
"So this guy lives at Castle Wyvern? I'm impressed ... or is he   
staff?"   
  
"He just lives there."   
  
"Ah. Kinda like ... ohh, what was that guy's name? OJ's friend?"   
  
Elisa choked. "No."   
  
"Kato Kaelin, that was his name." Nikki snapped her fingers. "You   
know, he was kinda cute ..."   
  
Elisa shook her head, "Look, maybe this isn't such a good idea ..."   
  
"You promised. I want to meet this guy who lives in Castle   
Wyvern."   
  
"Yeah ... well, just don't scream. Or fall off the building."   
  
"Who would be dumb enough to fall off ... oh, is he like Derek,   
then?"   
  
Elisa could almost see the lightbulb flashing over Nikki's head.   
"Umm ... well, yes and no ..."   
  
The elevator door opened to an empty hall. "C'mon, he's probably   
in the library."   
  
"Isn't it kind of weird?"   
  
"What's weird?"   
  
"A boyfriend who ... isn't human."   
  
Elisa shrugged. "Well, I'll admit that I had a few reservations in the   
begininng ... but other things are more important than looks."   
  
"Yeah, like what are the kids going to be?"   
  
Before Elisa could think of a response to that, they reached the   
library. Nikki was two steps ahead of Elisa; she pushed the door   
open and waltzed in.   
  
"Eeee!"   
  
Elisa fought down a hysterical giggle, and entered behind Nikki. "Hi   
guys, this is my cousin, Nikki Taylor."   
  
The trio and Angela were seated around a table; all four were   
playing poker. Angela appeared to be winning; she had the largest   
pile of chips in front of her and a smug look on her face.   
  
"Hi!" Lexington was the first to react. "Elisa, you never told us you   
had a cousin!"   
  
"Eeee!"   
  
"I wonder why?" Angela murmured, then rose and padded up. She   
held her hand out, "Hi, I'm Angela ..."   
  
"Uhh ... hi." Nikki squeaked and backed up. She bumped into Elisa,   
who rolled her eyes and stepped away from Nikki. Nikki nearly fell   
down, then regained her balance and stared at the gargoyles with   
enormous brown eyes and a quivering jaw. She looked close to tears   
of hysteria.   
  
"Hello." Goliath rumbled, from behind them, as he walked around a   
shelf of books.   
  
Nikki whirled.   
  
"Elisa's told me ..."   
  
"Eek!" Nikki latched onto Elisa. "EEEEE!!!!"   
  
Goliath fell silent, and scratched his head. He wasn't quite sure what   
to do.   
  
Elisa's eyes were laughing, though her voice was grave. "Nikki, shut   
up and meet Goliath."   
  
"Heee's .... certainly well named!" She squeaked, trying to hide   
behind Elisa.   
  
Goliath rumbled, "I am pleased to meet you, Nikki."   
  
"P-p-pleased to meetcha." Nikki smiled, very nervously, and   
whispered in Elisa's ear, "Is he as big as ..."   
  
Elisa cut Nikki off, "Nikki, these guys are Brooklyn, Broadway and   
Lexington."   
  
She took a nervous step back as the gargoyles came closer. "Errr ...   
Elisa, they're not human."   
  
Brooklyn remarked, "Wow, Elisa, your cousin's a genius."   
  
Elisa bit her lip. This was not going well. Nikki was making a total   
idiot of herself, and the gargoyles were noticing. And she had   
absolutely no idea what to say now that introductions had been   
made.   
  
Goliath saved her. "Nikki, Elisa tells me that you have landed a role   
in a movie, playing the part of Queen Titania."   
  
Suprisingly, it was Brooklyn who was the first to react. "They're   
making a movie of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?" Brooklyn was a   
closet Shakespeare buff.   
  
"Yeah ..."   
  
"You're a movie star?" Broadway followed rapidly on Brooklyn's   
verbal heels, "Cool!"   
  
"She could take lessons from Fox's mom." Lexington added, drily.   
  
The trio peppered her with questions, and gradually, Nikki began to   
relax. And then to put on airs. "The director tells me I'm a natural."   
She preened. "I think the movie's going to be a smash hit. I could be   
the next Marilyn Monroe!"   
  
Lexington caught Brooklyn's eyes, and made a face. Brooklyn   
choked.   
  
"What? You think that's funny?"   
  
"No!" Brooklyn ran a hand through his hair. "Elisa's part of our   
clan, so I guess that makes you clan, too."   
  
Nikki digested that. "Really." She said, in a flat voice. "Clan's like   
family?"   
  
Goliath rested a Elisa's shoulder and said gravely, "Yes."   
  
"Pardon me, I think I'm going to faint." Nikki said weakly. "Before   
today, I never even believed in monsters. Now I have monsters who   
claim I'm part of their little family. Elisa ..." Nikki wailed, "Doesn't   
this strike you as a bit weird?"   
  
Elisa pointedly rested a hand on Goliath's back. "They're not   
monsters, Nikki."   
  
Brooklyn added sardonically, "And you get used to the weirdness. If   
you'll excuse me, I have a patrol to make."   
  
"Err ... Brooklyn, it's raining." Lexington pointed out. "And it's my   
and Angela's turn to patrol."   
  
Brooklyn gave Lexington a long, measuring look, then walked out   
of the room.   
  
"It is my patrol." Angela excused herself.   
  
"And mine." Lexington bolted after her.   
  
Broadway shook his head. "Don't mind them, Nikki. I'm glad to   
meet you." He smiled at her. Unfortunately, that smile bared a lot of   
teeth, and Nikki took a reflexive step backwards.   
  
Elisa yawned, "Well, to tell the truth, I'm exhausted. Maybe we best   
be going." She hugged Goliath, "I'll see you tomorrow night, big   
guy."   
  
"Elisa, your boyfriend is certainly ... large." Nikki was subdued on   
the way down. "I got the feeling they didn't like me."   
  
"Mmm ... you didn't give a very good impression up there."   
  
"Well, what was I supposed to do?"   
  
Elisa sighed, "There was no need for that screaming. You could   
have trusted me when I said they weren't dangerous."   
  
"Oh. Sorry. Do they really ... think I'm part of their family?"   
  
Elisa nodded. "Goliath takes family ties very seriously. I'm a   
member of his clan -- and by extension, so is my family." She   
jerked her chin upwards. "He'd die for me -- or you, because you   
are my family. Never forget that."   
  
"That's weird."   
  
Elisa sighed heavily. "C'mon, let's go home."   
  
"Oh, just drop me off at the set. They've given me a trailer. It's   
huge! Twice the size of your apartment! Hey, you could stay with   
me ..."   
  
Elisa was saved from finding a polite way to decline when Nikki   
reconcidered.   
  
"...Or maybe not. I don't think Antony would like that." Nikki   
giggled. "Or your Goliath." Nikki giggled louder, like she'd told a   
grand joke.   
  
Elisa sighed.   
  
* * * * *   
  
***Demona faced Elisa, eyes glowing, wings half spread, laser   
***cannon levelled.   
  
***Elisa ran, but her legs felt like lead ... Demona pulled the trigger.   
***The gun misfired, emitting a horrible, jangling sound ...   
  
Elisa awoke from the dream, and muttered a soft curse. The   
nightmare was gone; the jangling sound remained. She sat up, and   
fumbled by the side of her bed for her telephone. "Yeah?" She   
slurred into the phone.   
  
"Elisa, it's me." Captain Chavez' voice woke her the rest of the way.   
  
"What?" Elisa glanced at her alarm clock. Noon. She'd not gotten to   
bed until four AM.   
  
"You know the report you put in last night about the incidents at the   
set of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream?"   
  
"Yeah ..."   
  
"There's been a fire."   
  
"Trash can ... it was in my report ..."   
  
"No, a whole trailer went up in flames."   
  
* * * * *   
  
Nikki's strident voice reached Elisa's ears long before Elisa saw the   
destruction. "MY TRAILLLERRRR!"   
  
Elisa rolled her eyes, summoned her patience, and waded through   
the crowd.   
  
"My trailer! Elisa, someone burned my trailer down! My beautiful   
trailer!" Nikki was nearly in hysterics. "All my clothes, my necklace   
from Antony, everything! Gone!"   
  
"Yeah." Elisa studied the wreckage. Gone was a good description.   
The trailer had burnt to the ground. "Good thing you're okay. Were   
you in it?"   
  
"Yeah." Nikki sniffed. "Everything burnt all up, Elisa!"   
  
"Well," Elisa sighed, "You can stay at my place tonight."   
  
"You really mean that?" Nikki brightened a little. "But my necklace   
burnt up!"   
  
A team of forensics guys were going through the wreckage. One of   
them suddenly whistled. He plucked a glimmering object from the   
rubble. "Will you lookit that!"   
  
"My ruby!" Nikki shrieked. She snatched it out of his hands. "It's   
not even charred! Wow! Thank you!" She kissed the detective on   
the cheek, then ran back to Elisa. "Elisa, look! It's not even   
damaged!"   
  
"I'm looking. That's quite a rock."   
  
"Antony gave it to me!"   
  
"Wow."   
  
"Bet Goliath never gave you anything like that!"   
  
"No, but we took a world tour by boat together ... that really is a   
rock. I'm impressed." Elisa held her hand out, and Nikki reluctantly   
handed her the necklace. The tear-shaped ruby was the size of an   
almond, and set into an ornate platinum setting. It was apparently   
undamaged by the fire.   
  
"Legend has it that the ruby is cursed." Antony said, joining the   
women.   
  
"You and Goliath took a cruise together? But didn't people notice?"   
Nikki squealed.   
  
Elisa and Antony both ignored that. Elisa had stiffened at the word   
'curse'. "Yeah? What kind of curse?"   
  
"Detective, surely you don't believe in magic."   
  
"Oh, she does, and you shoud meet her boyfriend! He's reaalllly   
weird."   
  
"Can't be as weird as Oberon's girlfriend ..." Antony sighed.   
  
Elisa stepped firmly on Nikki's foot.   
  
"Ouch!"   
  
"What kind of curse?" Elisa repeated.   
  
"Oh, the typical -- the ruby brings bad luck on the wearer. I bought   
the ruby at a pawn shop; the owner didn't know much. Myself, I   
think the story was made up."   
  
Elisa digested that for a moment. "Do you mind if I check that story   
out?"   
  
He shrugged, "Why?"   
  
"Mmm ... I've seen a few weird things in my life." She held up a   
hand to forestall his laughter. "I'm not saying I believe in curses, but,   
well ... the world's a weird place."   
  
"It is at that, darling. Have you caught the story of these gargoyles?   
I'd almost believe ... I swear I saw one flying around here a few   
nights ago. A female -- she had quite a figure, let me tell you!"   
  
Elisa snorted. "Yeah. Like I said, weird things. Harly!" She shouted   
at one of the forensic detectives. "Get me a picture of this rock, will   
you?"   
  
* * * * *   
  
"Good afternoon, detective Maza. You're a bit early for the evening   
show." Xanatos regarded her over a cup of coffee. "Can I do   
something for you?"   
  
"Yeah." Elisa sighed. "Is Owen around?"   
  
"Owen?" One of Xanatos' eyebrows rose. "I believe he's in his   
office. May I inquire ..."   
  
"I need an expert opinion. I assume Puck qualifies."   
  
"Ahh. Then I would presume this involves hings magical. I'll tell him   
you're coming." Xanatos sipped his coffee, and picked up his cel   
phone.   
  
* * * * *   
  
"Owen, I need a qualified opinion."   
  
Owen regarded her with one eyebrow lifted in an expression that   
was copied either from Xanatos or Spock. "Detective Maza?" He   
inquired.   
  
"Look, I know who and what you are. I need your assistance." Elisa   
dropped the glossy 8"X10" photograph of the ruby on his desk.   
"What do you make of that?"   
  
The other eyebrow lifted to join the first. "Indeed."   
  
"You recognise it?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Is the ruby cursed?"   
  
"No."   
  
"Drat. So much for doing this the easy way."   
  
"Easy way?" Owen inquired.   
  
Elisa snorted. "You're right. There's something wrong with this   
picture when I'd rather deal with magical jewelry rather than a real   
life arsonist."   
  
"However ..." Owen adjusted his glasses and studied the ruby's   
ornate filigreed setting. "The ruby is not magical in and of itself; I   
would suspect, in fact, that it is an artificial stone..." He didn't   
elaborate how he knew, and Elisa took his word for it. He paused   
for a moment. "I believe that I recognise the setting, though I was   
not aware that the ... previous owner had lost it."   
  
"Oh?"   
  
"It is quite old -- and it is a fey artifact. The stone appears to be a   
replacement; the original stone was an opal."   
  
"Lovely. What does it do?"   
  
"It attracts evil."   
  
"Wonderful. Bump-in-the-dark type evil?"   
  
"No, merely mortal evil."   
  
"Ohhh." Elisa said, nodding. "Gotcha."   
  
"Your cousin could be in grave danger if she is wearing this. It has   
some effect at all times, but the effect is greatly strengthened if the   
owner wears it."   
  
* * * * *   
  
"I don't believe in magical curses! Elisa, that's nuts!" Nikki   
exclaimed, over a health-food tea in the cafeteria.   
  
"Look, I don't care if you believe in curses or not, but the fact is,   
that necklace is a hazard."   
  
"They caught the arsonist. It wasn't no magical fire."   
  
Elisa nodded; she already knew they'd captured the firebug. He'd   
returned to the scene of the crime, and the night watchman had   
caught him poking around. He'd confessed -- bragged, really -- to   
Chavez at the station. "But the necklace attracted the arsonist to   
your trailer."   
  
"You have no proof of that."   
  
"No, but I've learned not to mess with magic."   
  
"You're dating a guy with fangs, and you're telling *me* not to mess   
with magic?" Nikki added, "And what's kissing a guy with fangs   
like, anyway?"   
  
"Nikki!" Elisa vented an exasperated sigh. She took a deep breath,   
and struggled for calm. "Look, you really need to get rid of that   
thing."   
  
"Okay, fine. I'll sell it."   
  
"NO!" Elisa yelped, "Then it'll just end up in the hands of someone   
else!"   
  
"The thing's worth a small fortune! I'm not just going to give it   
away! Or throw it away! Or whatever!"   
  
"Look, take it from me," Elisa sighed, "You really don't want to   
mess with magical talismans, particularly evil ones ..."   
  
"And you have experience with evil talismans?"   
  
Elisa started to say yes, then hesitated. None of the magical devices   
they'd encountered had been *evil* -- just dangerous in the wrong   
hands.   
  
"What's the problem?" Antony joined them, straddling a cafeteria   
chair.   
  
"My cousin claims that the ruby really is some kind of curse."   
  
That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"   
  
Elisa sighed, "Look, Nikki, just be careful, okay?"   
  
Nikki sniffed. "I don't believe in magical curses."   
  
* * * * *   
  
"She just won't *listen*!" Elisa paced restlessly on her roof. "I can't   
believe even Nikki could be that dense!"   
  
Goliath listened silently, wings settled, eyes grave.   
  
"Oh, Goliath. I don't know what to do. There are times when I want   
to strangle Nikki, but she's family, you know what I mean?"   
  
"I understand." He said, gravely.   
  
"Yeah."   
  
Goliath rested a hand on her shoulder. "I'll keep an eye on her for   
you."   
  
"Goliath ... thanks." Elisa sighed. "I appreciate it. But be careful,   
hmm?"   
  
"Always."   
  
* * * * *   
  
The replacement trailer was smaller. Nikki sighed heavily, and   
settled into a somewhat battered oversized chair, opened her script,   
and tried to make sense of the language. Not for the first time, she   
wished that she'd paid more attention during English in school --   
Elisa, she recalled with a twinge of jealousy, had always gotten very   
good grades in school. Nikki wondered vaguely if Elisa could help   
her with the tangled language, then abandoned the thought. She   
could tell that Elisa had been irritated with her, though she had no   
idea why ... Elisa irritated easy.   
  
They were cousins. They ought to be friends. But ... Nikki sighed.   
She couldn't figure Elisa out if her life depended on it. Elisa was   
weird!   
  
Something scratched at her door.   
  
Nikki jumped, then laughed, "Antony!"   
  
No response.   
  
"Antony, knock it off!" She yelled, when the scratching continued.   
The fool was probably trying to scare her ...   
  
There was a click, and the trailer door slid open. A dark shape, too   
tall for Antony, to skinny for anyone she knew on the set, stepped   
into her trailer.   
  
Nikki did the sensible thing, and screamed. "Eeeeeeee!"   
  
From a nearby trailer, "Oberon" yelled, "SHUT UP, Nikki!"   
  
"Eeeeeee! Eeeee! Hellllllp! Eeee!"   
  
The man started to advance. Nikki finally found her feet, and   
groped for something, anything, to defend herself with. But before   
she could find a weapon, a long arm reached into the trailer and   
grabbed the intruder by the head. He was yanked backwards, out of   
the trailer.   
  
"Eee!" Nikki squeaked, and cautiously poked her head out of the   
trailer.   
  
Goliath stood in the moonlight. He held the intruder at arm's length,   
suspended by one arm. Goliath's expression was extremely taciturn.   
  
The man kicked at Goliath, and the gargoyle twisted farther out of   
range than was absolutely necessary. The intruder spouted a   
fountain of obscenities. "... demon! I'm being attacked by the hordes   
of hell! God help me!" The man begged, when he ran out of   
obscenities.   
  
Nikki realised with a shock that the man was completely naked   
except for a pair of brand new white sneakers. No socks.  
  
Goliath uttered a sound that was somewhere between a snarl and a   
sigh. He addressed Nikki, "Do you have something with which I can   
tie this man up for the authorities?"   
  
"Err ... yeah." She ran inside, and retrieved her telephone cord.   
  
"Be still!" Goliath snarled at the intruder. The man had started to   
fight, but his struggles were somewhat ineffective, since Goliath still   
had him suspended by one arm. Goliath set the man down ... and   
winced as a sneaker connected with his knee.   
  
"Stop that!" Goliath growled. His growls seemed have no effect,   
however. The man was fighting fiercely now; his eyes were   
enormous, and not quite sane. Goliath grabbed both of the man's   
wrists in one hand, and a foot in the other.   
  
Goliath's expression showed consternation and frustration. The man   
was stark naked, and obviously no real threat to the gargoyle.   
Goliath was loathe to knock him out, and possibly do him   
permanent injury, if the man was no threat. But the man was   
fighting so fiercely that Goliath feared he was going to hurt   
*himself*!   
  
Besides that, Goliath wasn't quite sure how to fight a naked human   
man. It was ... embarassing.   
  
Goliath finally pinned the man to the earth beneath his knee, and   
held a hand out for the telephone cord. Nikki shoved it into his   
grasp, and the gargoyle expertly trussed the man hand and foot.   
Then, with a sigh, he sat back and scratched his head.   
  
"What's wrong with him?" Nikki quavered.   
  
"I believe the term is, 'on something'." Goliath growled.   
  
"You think he's stoned?"   
  
"I would suggest calling the police." Goliath said.   
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked; he'd saved her neck, but she   
still felt little flutters of terror when she looked at him. Elisa had guts,   
to be dating a guy with fangs and a build like a mutant Hulk Hogan.   
  
"Elisa was worried about you. I volunteered to keep an eye on you   
for her."   
  
"Thanks, I guess." Nikki studied the naked man, who was struggling   
against his bonds in the dirt. "Will you stick around until the police   
show up?"   
  
"I'll be watching." Goliath nodded. "Please do not mention my   
involvement with this."   
  
"Of course." Nikki assured him.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Elisa's doorbell rang at the ungodly hour of ten AM -- which, to   
Elisa, was close to the middle of the night.   
  
"Okay, I'm convinced." Nikki held the pendant out to Elisa.   
  
"What convinced you?" Elisa took the necklace from her.   
  
"Antony's mother showed up and spent four hours insulting me.   
Your boyfriend wasn't around to protect me."   
  
Elisa snorted. "Yeah?"   
  
"Yeah. The woman's evil." Nikki shrugged. "Antony'll kill me, but   
I'll tell him I lost the stupid thing. Can you get rid of it?"   
  
Elisa sighed. "I'll think of something."   
  
* * * * *   
  
"So she just gave the necklace to you?" Goliath sighed heavily.   
  
"Yeah." Elisa crossed her apartment and took the rock from her   
dresser drawer. "And I have no idea what to do with it now. It's   
dangerous, but it's going to be dangerous to anyone who owns it ..."   
  
Goliath hissed, and snatched the ruby necklace from her hands.   
  
"What?"   
  
"I recognise this!"   
  
"Owen said it was an artifact of the Children ..."   
  
"That I *did* not know!" Goliath held it up to the light, "Last time I   
saw this setting, the stone was an opal, not a ruby -- but that setting   
..."   
  
"What?"   
  
"It was Demona's. She looted it from a Viking war party. She never   
wore it much, because she claimed that the opal didn't match her   
coloration, but she was fiercely attached to it anyway."   
  
"Goliath?"   
  
His fist clenched around the stone. "I did not know that it was   
cursed."   
  
"Owen said you had to be actually wearing it for the worst of the   
curse to take effect ..."   
  
It was then that the skylight shattered and a very familiar red-haired   
gargoyle crashed into Elisa's living room.   
  
"You won't *believe* how long I've been looking for that thing!   
Some thief stole it from my own house!" Demona stalked across the   
room, training a laser rifle on Goliath. "Hand over the necklace."   
  
"Demona, it's ..." Elisa started to protest   
  
"That necklace is mine!"   
  
Goliath tossed the necklace to her. She caught it, gave him a truly   
puzzled look at his lack of aggression, then bolted. She was gone   
before they could react further.   
  
Goliath sighed, walked to the window, and watched her fly away.   
Elisa stared at her busted skylight for a long moment, then a slow   
grin spread across her face. A mischevious light appeared in her   
eyes. "Goliath, I think this time, we should just let Demona get away   
with her mischief."   
  
Goliath nodded. "As she said, it is her necklace."   
  



End file.
